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S. Go

Publications and source records attributed to S. Go.

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The beta decay of Tz=-2 64Se and its descendants: the T=2 isobaric multiplet

In this paper we present our results on the decay of 64Se. It is the heaviest Tz=-2 nucleus that both beta decays and has a stable mirror partner Tz=+2, thus allowing comparison with charge exchange reaction studies. The beta decays of 64Se and its descendants were studied at the RIKEN Nishina Center (Tokyo, Japan) following their production in the fragmentation of 78Kr on a beryllium target. Beta-delayed gamma-ray and particle radiation was identified for each of the nuclei in the decay chain allowing us to obtain decay schemes for 64Se, 64As, and 63Ge. Thus new excited states could be found for the descendant nuclei, including the interesting case of the N=Z nucleus 64Ge. Furthermore we observed for the first time the beta-delayed proton emission of 64Se and 64As. Based on these results we obtained proton branching ratios of 48.0(9)% in 64Se decay and 4.4(1)% in 64As decay. We obtained a half-life value of 22.5(6) ms for 64Se decay and half-lives slightly more precise than those in the literature for each nucleus involved in the decay chain. Using our results on the excited levels of 64As and the mass excess in the literature for 63Ge we obtained -39588(50) keV for the mass excess of 64As. Then based on the IMME we obtained the mass excess of -27429(88) keV for 64Se by extrapolation. The mirror process of 64Se beta decay, the charge exchange reaction 64Zn(3He,t)64Ga, has already been measured allowing us to study the mirror symmetry through the comparison of the weak force (beta decay) and strong force (charge exchange reaction). An interpretation of the decay schemes based on the idea of the Anti Analogue State is proposed.

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Modeling of Light Production in Inorganic Scintillators

In recent experiments, inorganic scintillators have been used to study the decays of exotic nuclei, providing an alternative to silicon detectors and enabling measurements that were previously impossible. However, proper use of these materials requires us to understand and quantify the scintillation process. In this work, we propose a framework based on that of Birks [Proc. Phys. Soc. A 64, 874] and Meyer and Murray [Phys. Rev. 128, 98] to model the light output of inorganic scintillators in response to beams of energetic heavy ions over a broad range of energies. Our model suggests that, for sufficiently heavy ions at high energies, the majority of the light output is associated with the creation of delta electrons, which are induced by the passage of the beam through the material. These delta electrons dramatically impact the response of detection systems when subject to ions with velocities typical of beams in modern fragmentation facilities. We test the accuracy of our model with data from Lutetium Yttrium Orthosilicate (LYSO:Ce), a common inorganic scintillator. We compare calculated light production and quenching factors with experimental data for heavy ions of varying mass and energy as well as make a quantitative estimate of the effects of delta rays on overall light output. The model presented herein will serve as a basic framework for further studies of scintillator response to heavy ions. Our results are crucial in planning future experiments where relativistic exotic nuclei are interacting with scintillator detectors.

physics.ins-det

Impact of newly measured $\beta$\nobreakdash-delayed neutron emitters around \myisoSimp{78}{Ni} on light element nucleosynthesis in the neutrino-wind following a neutron star merger

Neutron emission probabilities and half-lives of 37 beta-delayed neutron emitters from 75Ni to 92Br were measured at the RIKEN Nishina Center in Japan, including 11 one-neutron and 13 two-neutron emission probabilities and 6 half-lives measured for the first time, which supersede theoretical estimates. These nuclei lie in the path of the weak r-process occurring in neutrino-driven winds from the accretion disk formed after the merger of two neutron stars, synthesizing elements in the A~80 abundance peak. The presence of such elements dominates the accompanying kilonova emission over the first few days and has been identified in the AT2017gfo event, associated with the gravitational wave detection GW170817. Abundance calculations based on over 17000 simulated trajectories describing the evolution of matter properties in the merger outflows show that the new data lead to an increase of 50-70 percent in the abundance of Y, Zr, Nb, and Mo. This enhancement is large compared to the scatter of relative abundances observed in old very metal-poor stars and is therefore significant in the comparison with other possible astrophysical processes contributing to light-element production. These results underline the importance of including experimental decay data for very neutron-rich beta-delayed neutron emitters into r-process models.

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YSO implantation detector for beta-delayed neutron spectroscopy

A segmented-scintillator-based implantation detector was developed to study the energy distribution of beta-delayed neutrons emitted from exotic isotopes. The detector comprises a 34 $\times$ 34 YSO scintillator coupled to an 8 $\times$ 8 Position-Sensitive Photo-Multiplier Tube (PSPMT) via a tapered light guide. The detector was used at RIBF, RIKEN, for time-of-flight-based neutron spectroscopy measurement in the $^{78}$Ni region. The detector provides the position and timing resolution necessary for ion-beta correlations and ToF measurements. The detector provides a high $\sim$ 80 $\%$ beta-detection efficiency and a sub-nanosecond timing resolution. This contribution discusses the details of the design, operation, implementation, and analysis developed to obtain neutron time-of-flight spectrum and the analysis methods in the context of neutron-rich nuclei in the $^{78}$Ni region.

physics.ins-det

Demonstration of nuclear gamma-ray polarimetry based on a multi-layer CdTe Compton Camera

To detect and track structural changes in atomic nuclei, the systematic study of nuclear levels with firm spin-parity assignments is important. While linear polarization measurements have been applied to determine the electromagnetic character of gamma-ray transitions, the applicable range is strongly limited due to the low efficiency of the detection system. The multi-layer Cadmium-Telluride (CdTe) Compton camera can be a state-of-the-art gamma-ray polarimeter for nuclear spectroscopy with the high position sensitivity and the detection efficiency. We demonstrated the capability to operate this detector as a reliable gamma-ray polarimeter by using polarized 847-keV gamma rays produced by the $^{56}\rm{Fe}({\it p},{\it p'}\gamma)$ reaction. By combining the experimental data and simulated calculations, the modulation curve for the gamma ray was successfully obtained. A remarkably high polarization sensitivity was achieved, compatible with a reasonable detection efficiency. Based on the obtained results, a possible future gamma-ray polarimetery is discussed.

astro-ph.IM

Beta decay of the very neutron-deficient $^{60}$Ge and $^{62}$Ge nuclei

We report here the results of a study of the $\beta$ decay of the proton-rich Ge isotopes, $^{60}$Ge and $^{62}$Ge, produced in an experiment at the RIKEN Nishina Center. We have improved our knowledge of the half-lives of $^{62}$Ge (73.5(1) ms), $^{60}$Ge (25.0(3) ms) and its daughter nucleus, $^{60}$Ga (69.4(2) ms). We measured individual $\beta$-delayed proton and $\gamma$ emissions and their related branching ratios. Decay schemes and absolute Fermi and Gamow-Teller transition strengths have been determined. The mass excesses of the nuclei under study have been deduced. A total $\beta$-delayed proton-emission branching ratio of 67(3)% has been obtained for $^{60}$Ge. New information has been obtained on the energy levels populated in $^{60}$Ga and on the 1/2$^-$ excited state in the $\beta p$ daughter $^{59}$Zn. We extracted a ground state to ground state feeding of 85.3(3)% for the decay of $^{62}$Ge. Eight new $\gamma$ lines have been added to the de-excitation of levels populated in the $^{62}$Ga daughter.

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Segmented YSO scintillation detectors as a new ${\rm \beta}$-implant detection tool for decay spectroscopy in fragmentation facilities

A newly developed segmented YSO scintillator detector was implemented for the first time at the RI-beam Factory at RIKEN Nishina Center as an implantation-decay counter. The results from the experiment demonstrate that the detector is a viable alternative to conventional silicon-strip detectors with its good timing resolution and high detection efficiency for ${\rm \beta}$ particles. A Position-Sensitive Photo-Multiplier Tube (PSPMT) is coupled with a $48\times48$ segmented YSO crystal. To demonstrate its capabilities, a known short-lived isomer in $^{76}$Ni and the ${\rm \beta}$ decay of $^{74}$Co were measured by implanting those ions into the YSO detector. The half-lives and ${\rm \gamma}$-rays observed in this work are consistent with the known values. The ${\rm \beta}$-ray detection efficiency is more than 80~\% for the decay of $^{74}$Co.

physics.ins-det

Commissioning of the BRIKEN detector for the measurement of very exotic beta-delayed neutron emitters

A new detection system has been installed at the RIKEN Nishina Center (Japan) to investigate decay properties of very neutron-rich nuclei. The setup consists of three main parts: a moderated neutron counter, a detection system sensitive to the implantation and decay of radioactive ions, and gamma-ray detectors. We describe here the setup, the commissioning experiment and some selected results demonstrating its performance for the measurement of half-lives and beta-delayed neutron emission probabilities. The methodology followed in the analysis of the data is described in detail. Particular emphasis is placed on the correction of the accidental neutron background.

physics.ins-det

Structure of 55Sc and development of the N=34 subshell closure

The low-lying structure of $^{55}$Sc has been investigated using in-beam $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy with the $^{9}$Be($^{56}$Ti,$^{55}$Sc+$\gamma$)$X$ one-proton removal and $^{9}$Be($^{55}$Sc,$^{55}$Sc+$\gamma$)$X$ inelastic-scattering reactions at the RIKEN Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory. Transitions with energies of 572(4), 695(5), 1539(10), 1730(20), 1854(27), 2091(19), 2452(26), and 3241(39) keV are reported, and a level scheme has been constructed using $\gamma\gamma$ coincidence relationships and $\gamma$-ray relative intensities. The results are compared to large-scale shell-model calculations in the $sd$-$pf$ model space, which account for positive-parity states from proton-hole cross-shell excitations, and to it ab initio shell-model calculations from the in-medium similarity renormalization group that includes three-nucleon forces explicitly. The results of proton-removal reaction theory with the eikonal model approach were adopted to aid identification of positive-parity states in the level scheme; experimental counterparts of theoretical $1/2^{+}_{1}$ and $3/2^{+}_{1}$ states are suggested from measured decay patterns. The energy of the first $3/2^{-}$ state, which is sensitive to the neutron shell gap at the Fermi surface, was determined. The result indicates a rapid weakening of the $N=34$ subshell closure in $pf$-shell nuclei at $Z>20$, even when only a single proton occupies the $\pi f_{7/2}$ orbital.

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New neutron-deficient isotopes from $^{78}$Kr fragmentation

In an experiment with the BigRIPS separator at the RIKEN Nishina Center, the fragmentation of a $^{78}$Kr beam allowed the observation of new neutron-deficient isotopes at the proton drip-line. Clean identification spectra could be produced and $^{63}$Se, $^{67}$Kr, and $^{68}$Kr were identified for the first time. In addition, $^{59}$Ge was also observed. Three of these isotopes, $^{59}$Ge, $^{63}$Se, and $^{67}$Kr, are potential candidates for ground-state two-proton radioactivity. In addition, the isotopes $^{58}$Ge, $^{62}$Se, and $^{66}$Kr were also sought but without success. The present experiment also allowed the determination of production cross sections for some of the most exotic isotopes. These measurements confirm the trend already observed that the empirical parameterization of fragmentation cross sections, EPAX, significantly overestimates experimental cross sections in this mass region.

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Production cross section measurements of radioactive isotopes by BigRIPS separator at RIKEN RI Beam Factory

We have measured the production rates and production cross sections for a variety of radioactive isotopes which were produced from 124Xe, 48Ca, and 238U beams at an energy of 345 MeV/nucleon using the BigRIPS separator at the RIKEN Nishina Center RI Beam Factory (RIBF). Proton-rich isotopes with atomic numbers Z = 40 to 52 and neutron-rich isotopes with Z = 5 to 16 were produced by projectile fragmentation of the 124Xe and 48Ca beam on Be targets, respectively. Neutron-rich isotopes with Z = 20 to 59 were produced by in-flight fission of the 238U beam, in which both Be and Pb were used as production targets. The measured production rates and production cross sections were compared with those of the LISE++ calculations, and overall fairly good agreement has been obtained. Furthermore, in the measurements with the 124Xe beam, we have discovered four new isotopes on the proton-drip line, 85,86Ru and 81,82Mo, and obtained the clear evidence that 103Sb is particle unbound with an upper limit of 49 ns for the half-life. The measurements of projectile-fragment momentum distributions have been also performed with the 124Xe beam, in which the low-momentum tails of the distributions have been measured for the first time at the energy of 345 MeV/nucleon.

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Well-developed deformation in 42Si

Excited states in 38,40,42Si nuclei have been studied via in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy with multi-nucleon removal reactions. Intense radioactive beams of 40S and 44S provided at the new facility of the RIKEN Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory enabled gamma-gamma coincidence measurements. A prominent gamma line observed with an energy of 742(8) keV in 42Si confirms the 2+ state reported in an earlier study. Among the gamma lines observed in coincidence with the 2+ -> 0+ transition, the most probable candidate for the transition from the yrast 4+ state was identified, leading to a 4+_1 energy of 2173(14) keV. The energy ratio of 2.93(5) between the 2+_1 and 4+_1 states indicates well-developed deformation in 42Si at N=28 and Z=14. Also for 38,40Si energy ratios with values of 2.09(5) and 2.56(5) were obtained. Together with the ratio for 42Si, the results show a rapid deformation development of Si isotopes from N=24 to N=28.

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Structural evolution in the neutron-rich nuclei 106Zr and 108Zr

The low-lying states in 106Zr and 108Zr have been investigated by means of {\beta}-{\gamma} and isomer spectroscopy at the RI beam factory, respectively. A new isomer with a half-life of 620\pm150 ns has been identified in 108Zr. For the sequence of even-even Zr isotopes, the excitation energies of the first 2+ states reach a minimum at N = 64 and gradually increase as the neutron number increases up to N = 68, suggesting a deformed sub-shell closure at N = 64. The deformed ground state of 108Zr indicates that a spherical sub-shell gap predicted at N = 70 is not large enough to change the ground state of 108Zr to the spherical shape. The possibility of a tetrahedral shape isomer in 108Zr is also discussed.

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